The 20-cent Rainbow 6 carryover jackpot ballooned to $1,435,080.75 after going unsolved for the 27^th consecutive racing day during Saturday’s eight-race program. The popular multi-race wager added $121,179 of new money on top of a $1,396,320.23 carryover from Friday’s card.

Multiple tickets were sold with all six winners, each returning $6,460.08.

Last solved for a $23,346.70 payout May 7, the Rainbow 6 jackpot is paid out only when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 60 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners while 40 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

However, on mandatory payout days the entire pool is paid out to the bettor or bettors with the most winners in the six-race sequence.

Introduced in Maryland April 2, 2015 on opening day of Pimlico’s spring meet, the Rainbow 6 has far surpassed its previous state record carryover of $345,898.33 spanning 31 racing programs before being solved by one lucky bettor for a life-changing $399,545.94 payout April 15, 2018 at Laurel Park. That winning ticket was purchased through Maine off-track betting.

Sunday’s Rainbow 6 opens in Race 6, a starter-optional claimer for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting six furlongs on the main track. The 2-1 program favorite from the rail in a field of eight is the sophomore Tam Char, who exits a 9 ¼-length maiden claiming triumph over her elders at the course and distance June 19. Stakes-placed Hufflepuff has run second in five consecutive races, beaten a total of eight lengths.

JOHN PIASSEK’S PICKS

Here are John Piassek’s recommended horses in each of the six races. For John’s full-card picks plus analysis, please click here.

• Race 6: 1, 8
• Race 7: 2, 6, 8, 9, 12
• Race 8: 1
• Race 9: 3, 7, 8
• Race 10: 5
• Race 11: 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 13

The $75,000 Jameela for Maryland-bred/sired females 3 and older, scheduled for five furlongs on the grass, kicks off the stakes action in Race 7. Introduced, scratched from the June 13 Ben’s Cat at Pimlico when it was rained off, is rated 8-5 on the morning line for the turf. She is a multiple stakes winner on dirt, as are Hello Beautiful and Never Enough Time, both entered for main track only.

Race 8 is the $100,000 Concern for 3-year-olds sprinting six furlongs where Mighty Mischief is favored to earn his fourth straight victory for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and second in a row at Pimlico following the Chick Lang (G3) May 15 on the undercard of the 146^th Preakness Stakes (G1). Trainer Wesley Ward counters with well-traveled, stakes-placed Roderick, racing for the first time with Lasix and as a gelding.

Landing Zone, trained by Preakness Meet leader Claudio Gonzalez, seeks her first stakes victory in Race 9, the $100,000 Caesar’s Wish going 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares 3 and up. The 4-year-old filly has raced in six consecutive stakes, ending 2020 with a fourth in the Allaire du Pont (G3) and finishing second in the Nellie Morse and third in the Lady’s Secret this year.

Rounding out the stakes action in Race 10 is the $100,000 Lite the Fuse for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs. Mighty Mischief’s stablemate Yaupon, who equaled a stakes record in the 2020 Chick Lang after taking the Amsterdam (G2) at Saratoga, returns to action for the first time since finishing eighth in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) March 27 at Meydan. Among the competition are 2020 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) winner Laki and Chateau, winner of the March 6 Tom Fool (G3) at Aqueduct.

Both the Caesar’s Wish and Lite the Fuse are part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series.

The Rainbow 6 wraps up in Race 11, a maiden claiming sprint for horses age 3, 4 and 5 scheduled for five furlongs on the grass which drew an overflow field of 15 including main track only entrants Miracle Bobbie, Don’t Dare Me and One Most Wanted. Gleaming Sword is a third-time starter for trainer Dale Capuano that respectively ran third and second in his first two tries, both in off-the-turf maiden claimers at five furlongs.